Lifting-jack.



I. KEY.

LIFTING JACK.

' APPLICATION nun APR. 9, 1910.

970,239. Patented Sept. 13,1910.

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ISAAC KEY, OF FOWLERTON, INDIANA.

LIFTING-J'ACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Application filed April 9, 1910. Serial No. 554,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC KEY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Fowlerton, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Lifting-Jacks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n what are termed generallylifting jacks, more especially for use in connection with vehicles, asin elevating the axle when it may be required to remove the wheels forlubrication.

It has for its object to carry out the aforesaidpurpose in a simple,inexpensive and effective manner, as well as to provide for readilymanufacturing the device and applying the same for use; also to minimizethe expenditure of force or effort to effect the operationthereof, andto render the device or jack automatically locking under stress insustaining the superposed vehicleaxle or other weight.

The invention consists of certain structural features orinstrumentalities substantially as hereinafter fully disclosed anddefined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention: Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof, the liftirfifg-bar andits actuating cam-lever being in e ective position. Fig. 2 is a brokenside view, the parts named being in depressed or ineffective position.Fig. 3 is a broken ver tical section, produced through Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isan opposite side elevation to Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectiontaken on a line extending horizontally through the pivot-bolt of the camlever.

In carrying out my invention, I suitably construct or devise apreferably upright support or structure for suitably assembling andretaining the working parts, presently described, in operative position.Said sup port is formed of a base 1, upon which are superposed endpieces or uprights 2, 3 two being arranged at each end, the lower endsof said uprights being secured to opposite sides of an interposedlongitudinal member or bar 4 centrally secured or bolted to the uppersurface of said base, in the direct-ion of its length. Said uprights aresecured, a short distance below their upper ends, to, and thus suitablyspaced apart for a purpose presently seen, by means of, a second bar 5also interposed therebetween. A suitable filling-in upright-piece ormember 6 is secured to the bars 4: and 5, between two of the end-piecesor uprights 2, upon one side of the support, which filling-in piece, although serving in a measure as a guard against lateral movement of thehereinafter described cam-lever, may be replaced by any other suitablesubstitute, or it may be dispensed with entirely.

A lifting bar 7 preferably rectangular in cross-section, as well as ingeneral outline, is arranged between the end uprights 3 and adapted tobe vertically movable therebetween and guided thereby, said lifting barbeing retained between said end uprights as against outward lateraldisplacement by means of transverse bars 8 secured to the end pieces oruprights 3, at the lower and upper ends thereof and intermediate of saidends respectively. The upward movement of the lifting bar is controlledor limited by a stop 7 projecting therefrom and adapted to engage theuppermost cross-bar 8. Said lifting bar has its up er end equipped witha stepped member or liead 9 for application to, or engagement with thevehicle shaft or axle which it may be desired to lift, with its wheel orwheels, as in providing for readily displacing the latter, forlubricating the axle or shaft. The stepped formation of the lifting barhead or member 9 provides, as is apparent, for the accommodation oradjustment of the same initially to vehicle-axles or shafts according tothe size of the wheels, whether the same be of a greater or lessdiameter, as will be readily understood. Said head or member 9 may beextended rearwardly and forwardly beyond the come sponding edges of thelifting bar 7 for increasing its number of steps, as circumstances mayrequire, as will also be readily appreciated. Said member or head isprovided, along its base, at a point contiguous to its intersection withthe lifting-bar, with a lateral or right-angled extension or offset 10,which may, itself, be provided with a depending flange or guard 11 alongit longitudinal free edge, the purpose of which will be apparent later.

A cam lever 12 for actuation manually, having a suitable handleextension 13 for that purpose, is fulcrumed in the upper ends of therear upright supports; a pivot bolt 14 being preferably employedtherefor, inserted through said lever and through the upper ends of theuprights 2, 3, and the uppermost transverse bar 8, said pivot bolt beingsuitably equipped with a nut 15 and a washer 16 for aiding its retentionin place. The lever 12 has its cam formation preferably rounded orconvex upon the forward lower edge, While the extreme forward upper endof said cam-formation is produced upon a .right line, as at 12 saidformation being also produced rearwardly of said right line with acorresponding surface 12* intersecting the -firstreferred to lineatabout a right angle. Theqguard-or flange 11 previously described isdesigned to retain the effective forward end of the lifting 'baractuating lever in true working 'aline'inent with the offset of thelifting bar it'also has the 'efiect to-guard'thesurfaces ofcontactbetween the offset and the lever, as in excluding dirt therefrom,which would finally render ineffective the proper working action of theclevice-or'=jack. ltisalso observed that by providing the-head-of-thelifting bar with the-lateral extension or offset,-the cam leverisada'pted *tozprovide for "direct action in the working of the liftingbar, also to shorten the leverage and otherwise improve the operation ofthe device. ItWlll also be noted that the upper right-lined surface 12of the forward end of the cam lever 12 is-adapted, by moving its handleextension downwardly,

'to abut square against the under side of the lateral offset orextension 10 of the head 9 of said lifting bar and to deliver a rearwardand upward thrust upon said offset or extension; the location of thepivot bolt of saidlever beingin vertical alinement with the line ofengagement between said lever and offset,and the downwardly exertedpressure produced by the handle extension of said lever, aiding to bringabout such upwardly and rearwardly thrusting action which results inautomatically locking the lever, and accordingly the lifting bar ineffective position under the superposed wei ht. b

My invention it will be thus observed, is highly useful and effectivefor its intended purpose, as well as adapted to be automatically lockedin its effective or sustaining position, the same beingalso simple andinexpensive of manufacture, in addition to possessing certain otheradvantages as above disclosed.

I claim 1. A lifting-jack comprising a lifting bar having a head atitsupper end,-said head having a lateral offset at its base, being atthe point of intersection between the upper end of said lifting bar andsaid head, said offset having a depending flange at its longitudinalfree edge, a cam lever having its pivot arranged in vertical alinernentwith the line of engagement therebetween and said offset of the liftingbar, said cam lever being adapted to engage said offset and exertanupward and rearward thrust upon the under side of said ofiset, andsupporting means for said lifting bar,said flange-serving'a's a guard atthepoint of engagement between said offset and said lever.

2. A lifting-jack comprising a'lifting-bar havinga head at its upperend, :sa-idhead having a lateral offset at its base, at the intersectionof said head with-said lifting bar, "said' ofiset having adependingflange at its longitudinal free edge, means for limiting the upwardmovement 1 of said lifting bar a cam lever-having its extreme forwardedge formed upon a right l1ne, the thus formed right lined forward edgebeing adapted to abut "squarely upon the under side of said offset, "andsupporting means for said lifting bar," sai'd leverhavin'g pivotalconnection with said supportingmeans in vertical alinement with saidoffset and at one side of said lifting bar.

'3. A- lifting-jack comprisinga supportincluding a base'having a barsecured tothe upper surface of its longitudinal center, uprights, twoarranged at each end of said base and secured laterally to said 'bar, at

their lower ends, a second bar vertically alining the first-referred tobar and a rranged betweenand having saiduprights secured thereto,transverse bars secured to said uprights, at their upper and lowerends,:an'd

intermediate of said ends "respectively, a lifting-bar arranged between"the end up-

